First time setup instructions for new Harvard ACMG members

The main computer system that we utilize is Cannon, a 60K+ core computer cluster supported by the FAS Division of Science, Research Computing Group at Harvard University.

This page describes the steps that you need to do to get set up as a new user in the Harvard-ACMG group, and to use the Harvard Cannon cluster. Please also check out the following resources:

• Harvard University Information Technology (HUIT)
• FAS Research Computing (FASRC) documentation, which contains up-to-date information and documentation for the Cannon cluster.
• The Cannon Cluster Quick Start Guide, which will help you get up and running on Cannon.

Apply for a Cannon account (and do the prerequisites)

Here are the steps that you will need to take in order to get an computer account on Cannon:

1. Apply for a Harvard ID at Smith Campus Center (at the Campus Services office, 8th floor).

   • This may take a couple of days to process.
   • You will need an ID number to set up your email and Cannon accounts.

2. Claim your Harvard Key.

   • See http://reference.iam.harvard.edu/.

3. Get the DUO smartphone app for two-step verification.

   • See http://huit.harvard.edu/twostep.

4. Connect to the Harvard Secure network.

   • See https://getonline.harvard.edu.

5. Request a Cannon account with FAS Research Computing (FASRC).

6. Set up OpenAuth for two-factor authentication once your Cannon account is approved.

   • You can use a smartphone app such as DUO, Google Authenticator, or similar to display the verification code.

7. Familiarize yourself with the Workflow on Cannon:

   • View the Cannon Introductory Training video.
   • We also recommend taking an Intoduction to Cannon course (either by Zoom or in-person) the next time it is offered.
   • Review the Cannon cluster customs and responsibilities document.

8. Email the local GEOS-Chem Support Team (gcst-local [at] g.harvard.edu) and ask to be added to the Harvard-ACMG Slack Channel.

   • Download the Slack desktop app here
   • Let the GCST know the email address that you used to set up your Slack account.

Install the Harvard University VPN for remote access

We recommend that you use the Harvard VPN to access Harvard computational resources from off-campus. For more information, please see https://huit.harvard.edu/vpn.

Log into Cannon

Below you will find some important instructions for how to access Cannon remotely. Please also refer to the Cannon Cluster Quick Start Guide.

Access Cannon from a PC or Mac

Before you can log into Cannon you must make sure that your PC or Mac has the following:

1. A terminal application
2. An X11 server application

Please see the Command line access using a terminal page at the FASRC documentation site for detailed instructions on connecting to Cannon from the terminal.

For MacOS users:

We recommend installing the XQuartz package. XQuartz provides both a basic terminal application (xterm) and X11 server functionality.

If you wish to use a terminal with more features, you can install iTerm2.

For PC users:

If you are running Windows 11 (or a recent Windows 10 build), the Windows Subsystem for Linux will allow you to spin up a local Linux environment from within Windows. You can then connect to Cannon from the local Linux session. Click here for setup instructions.

Otherwise, we recommend installing MobaXterm, which provides both the terminal and the X11 server functionality.

Access Cannon from a Linux-based machine:

To access Cannon from another Linux-based machine, open a terminal window (xterm is best) and type:

ssh YOUR-USERNAME@login.rc.fas.harvard.edu

You will be prompted to type your password and two-factor code. For more information, please visit this page on the FASRC documentation site.

Download startup scripts and software environment files

Clone a copy of the cannon-env repository to your home directory. You can then copy these scripts to your home directory and further modify them.

For more information, please see our chapters on Startup Scripts and Environment files.

Set up your personal website

See the SEAS Office of Computing web services page for instructions on setting up a SEAS-based website where you can display your research.

You may also set up a website via GitHub Pages, using a pre-defined template that you can customize.

Sign up for email lists

See our Subscribe to Email Lists page for more information how to sign up for the Harvard-ACMG GEOS-Chem email lists. You can also ask the GEOS-Chem Support Team to assist you with this.

Install applications for your PC or Mac

We recommend that you install the following applications on your PC or Mac. All of these are free downloads.

1. Microsoft Office365 and related apps, available from HUIT. You can install these apps on up to 5 devices.

2. Harvard Dropbox, also available via HUIT. You can install Harvard Dropbox on up to 3 devices, and you can store much more data than the free personal Dropbox version.

3. Filezilla. You can easily transfer data between your PC or Mac and Cannon with this program.

4. Xerox printer driver for the jacobsgroup-prn.seas.harvard.edu printer.